Fall
by MCMelly
Summary: When dropped from on high, drifting, twirling, falling down, a feather will float.
1. Prologue: Damn This Rain

(Stein's POV)

"Lord Death, you wanted to see me?" I roll up through the torii gates toward the reaper, lazily chewing the end of my spent cigarette as I go.

"Oh, hello, Stein!" Lord Death waves one massive hand in greeting. "Yes, I need to speak with you about a most serious matter."

"Well," I pick up my chair and set it down on Lord Death's platform. "Here I am. What is this most serious matter?" I sit down backwards in my chair and roll closer to my boss, looking up at him curiously.

"We're going to be having some visitors in the next few days." Lord Death's comical voice is uncharacteristicly serious.

"And?" I reach up and twist the screw through my skull. "We've had visitors before. What's so special about these visitors?"

"Well, these visitors are not meisters, per se." He claps his hands together. "And one of them will be staying for an indefinite amount of time."

"Well, this will make for an interesting event." I lean forward, placing my arms on the back of my chair. "When will these visitors get here and why are you telling me and no one else?"

"They should be here within the next few days." He turns back to his mirror. "And as to why I'm telling you, I've decided you get to help me keep an eye on our house guest."

I furrow my brow, confused. "Why me?"

"Because, as odd as it sounds, I think you're the only one that she will be able to properly tolerate."

(Elvira's POV)

Damn this rain. Huge, fat droplets fall in sheets and pool in hordes on the ground, on the leaves of the trees, in the folds of my cloak, soaking my mount and me to the bone.

Assaulted from above and below from the endless rain, travel has been hard and slow, and time is of the essence. I must get to Death City before it is too late, before I am too weak, and waterlogged, to go on.

I'll say it again.

"Damn this rain."


	2. Chapter 1: Fact from Fiction

(Elvira's POV)

"Hey! Hey, you!"

I turn and see several rain soaked villagers brandishing swords, pitchforks, shovels and various other makeshift weapons. Angry scowls stare back at me. I regard them calmly, taking a tighter hold on Titan's bridle. "Yes? How can I help you?"

One of them, an elderly man, steps forward, his sword held ready. "You can help us by getting the hell out of our village!" His beady eyes glare at me from the folds of his face. "We don't like strangers, and you especially!" The sword's tip comes dangerously close to stabbing me as the man takes another step forward.

Titan, noticing the growing danger, steps closer to me, eyeing the crowd warily and shaking his horned head. A quiet nicker escapes him. I steal a glance at him, tightening my grip further. "Oh? And why is that? I've never been here, old man." I glance behind me, waiting for the feed and other supplies I ordered to make an appearance.

"We've been warned about you, witch!" A younger man, brandishing a rusty spear, shoves through the crowd, pushing his elder back into the folds of the villagers. "You travel around on that two horned beast," He waves his spear toward Titan, nearly piercing the equine's black hide. "Stealing the souls of the innocent to feed to him. Well, not here, you won't! Hya!" The man lunges forward, aiming for Titan's exposed flank.

The old wood snaps easily, leaving its rusty spear head behind in my hand. "I suggest," I toss the useless article to the ground in front of the crowd. "You stop listening to rumors." I pick up the feed and supplies I ordered, settle them on my saddle, and mount up, turning Titan toward the town's southern entrance. None of the villagers offer to escort me on my way.

(Stein's POV)

"Now, Lord Death," The cloaked reaper turns to face me. "You said these visitors aren't meisters?"

"Well, one isn't, per se." He scratches his head with one massive hand.

"Well, are they or aren't they?" I reach up and twist the screw through my skull, eyeing Lord Death curiously. "They can't be both a meister and not."

Lord Death is quiet for a minute. "I'll put it this way, Stein. Meister is not their official title."

"Then what are they, Lord Death?" I stop twisting my screw to lean forward in my chair, resting my arms on the back of it.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you yet, Stein." Lord Death turns his back to me. "It would put you in too much danger. You'll just have to see when they get here."

(Elvira's POV)

"Well, Titan," I stop my cappal vahree* at the top of a hill overlooking Death City. The DWMA's massive shape looms over the rest of the buildings, a yellow moon with a crooked, blood dripping grin hovering over it, just barely visible through a gap in the clouds. "We'll be there within the next two days," I tug his jacket closer to him and pull my hood closer about my head to block out the endless rain. "Weather permitting, that is."

*Pronounced CAP-al VAH-ree


	3. Chapter 2: Peace Mission Derailed

(Elvira's POV)

At the end of the first day, just as I near Death City, the rain stops, giving way to the dry sands of the desert outside of the city.

"Well, then," I dismount and quickly unsaddle Titan, taking his rain jacket off and putting it in the saddle bags. "Let's get moving, shall we?" I place his saddle back on his back and mount up, wanting to get a good start through this desert before the light completely fails us.

(Kid's POV)

"Hey, Kid!" Black*Star waves me over to him and Tsubaki from across the courtyard. "Have you heard the rumors?"

I raise a brow at him. "No, what rumors?"

"You mean you haven't heard?" Soul makes his way over, Maka following. "There's supposed to be a new witch floating around. They say she wears a cloak and goes around stealing the souls of the innocent to feed to her black two horned horse."

"Oh, those rumors." I roll my eyes, flicking my hand dismissively. "Those rumors have to be the most preposterous rumors I've ever heard. I mean, really, a witch out in the open? A two horned horse? And stealing the souls of the innocent to feed to said horse? Honestly, she doesn't sound like a witch to me!"

"Well, how do you explain the trail of death that follows this witch wherever she goes?" Black*Star smirks, challenging me.

"Really, Black*Star?" Maka crosses her arms over her chest. "You literally just made that up, cause what witch would make her presence that obvious?"

"Yeah," Liz looks up from filing her nails. "The main goal of a witch is to do her own thing without attracting the attention of anyone else."

"Hey, guys?" Patty's gaze is fixed somewhere off in Death City.

"Not now, Patty." Liz goes back to filing her nails. "Couldn'  
t you just focus on the actual conversation for once?"

"But, guys," Patty tugs Liz to face the opposite direction and points to a distant figure. "Who is that?"

All of us look to where Patty is pointing. A cloaked spectre, mounted on a horse-like creature, is making slow progress toward the DWMA.

Patty looks around at all of us. "What did you guys say that new witch looked like?"

"She wears a cloak." Tsubaki moves closer to Black*Star.*

"Cloak, check." Liz and Patty both step closer to me.

"Her mount is black." Maka takes hold of Soul's hand.

"And black it is." Black*Star glares at the still distant stranger.

"Her mount is horse-like," The seven of us make our way over to the steps. "And has two horns." We watch in tense silence as the spectre makes it to the steps.

Her two horned, horse-like mount doesn't even stop, instead climbing up the steps like a mountain goat. The witch doesn't even acknowledge us as she and her horse continue across the courtyard.

"Hey!" At a cue from his rider, the horse stops, ears pricked in front of his horns. The cloaked stranger turns in her saddle to look at Soul from within her hood. "What do you want?"

"I've come to see Lord Death." She turns back around, shifting her grip on the reins. "He's been expecting me."

"Hold on." She pauses, slightly turning her head to show she's listening. "What do you want with my father?"

"'Father?'" She turns her horse around to face us. "So, you're his kid? Well, then," She swings her right leg over the saddle and dismounts, taking hold of her equine's reins. "I guess since you're here, and it seems like you mean business, I'm gonna have to pass an inspection or test or something?" Her voice is amused and slightly smug.

"Hell, yeah, you are!" Black*Star retorts, glaring at the witch. "There's no way a big star like me is gonna let Lord Death get taken down by some lame ass witch! Now take off your hood before I do it for you."

The stranger's posture immediately tenses. "So the rumors have reached here as well. Shit." She shakes her head. "Fine. As a show of good faith," She slowly reaches up with her free hand and pulls her hood down enough to reveal her face. "There, my hood is down." She turns her mount around and begins leading him to the doors. "Now I'm going to see Lord Death."

"Now wait just a damn minute!" Black*Star darts ahead of her and blocks her path. "Didn't you hear me? I said I'm not letting you go in there. There's no way you're gonna get past me."

"Yeah," Soul narrows his eyes at her. "And the rest of us are right there with him."

The witch shakes her head. "You don't get it, do you?" She turns around and looks at us, dropping her mount's reins. "The rumors you've heard are nothing more than that. Rumors. I'm not here for a fight. I come in peace."

"Yeah, right, witch." Black*Star spits the words, crossing his arms over his chest. "Like we'd believe you."

"I'm not asking you to believe me." She shakes her head. "I'm asking you to trust I'm not who you think I am and that I'm not here to harm Lord Death."

"We don't trust strangers." I nudge Patty and Liz, and in an instant, the two are in weapon form, both held securely in each hand. "Now either leave willingly or we'll make you leave."

"So that's how it is, huh?" She looks at each of us in turn as our partners transform. "Alright, then, as much as I hate this, if it's a fight you want," The witch shifts into a defensive position. "It's a fight you'll get."

* Voice Order: Tsubaki, Liz, Maka, Black*Star, Kid


	4. Chapter 3: 'Father'

(Stein's POV)

"Hmm?" I look out toward the courtyard, curious as to why I just heard Kid fire his weapons.

The propped open doors provide a good view. Maka, Kid and Black*Star are all attacking a cloaked spectre. The three can't seem to land a single hit on the figure, not even Kid's shots hitting their target.

Rather than break up the fight, I roll my chair closer to the doors in order to see better. This fight has intrigued me and I'm curious as to how the students' opponent can keep her hood up.

"Professor!" Maka briefly turns to look at me, trying to keep her eyes on her foe. "Don't just sit there!" She swings Soul's blade at the figure's head, missing when the intended target darts away. "Help!"

"No way!" Black*Star growls, throwing Tsubaki in her shuriken form. They, too, miss. "We can get her on our own! We don't need his help!"

"That's alright, Black*Star." I pull a cigarette from my pocket and light it. "I wasn't planning on joining, anyway. You all seem to have it all under control."

"You have that much faith in your students?" The stranger grabs Soul's blade with one hand as it comes flying toward her and swings him and Maka around to block shots from Kid. "I'm surprised." Once Kid has stopped firing, she tosses the weapon and meister away, turning to face Black*Star. "We've been playing like this for almost five minutes and they haven't tagged me once." She dodges Black*Star's rain of attacks, barely paying attention to him as she backs up. "I will give them one thing, though," She backflips, landing on Kid's face and kicking off to land between Black*Star and Maka, sending Kid flying a short distance away to land in the dirt. "They're a persistent bunch."

"Hell, yeah, we are, ya damn witch!" Black*Star turns on his heel and lunges for her back just as Maka lunges at her front, the blades of both of their partners flashing. Both attacks are dodged, and all three are locked in a stalemate as the stranger dodges Maka's and Black*Star's attacks.

"I wouldn't underestimate them if I were you." A skull shaped puff of smoke takes shape above my head as I speak. "These are the seven that took on the kishin, and the scythe meister in front of you is the one that took him down."

"Really, now?" I can hear the smirk in her voice. "Well, then, I guess I'm going to have to step up my game." The stranger darts out of the circle of attack, taking hold of Black*Star's arm and tossing him aside, snatching Tsubaki's chain before the weapon is out of range and dragging her back. "Let's see what you can do." A curious note joins her amusement.

"Black*Star!" Tsubaki calls for her meister.

"Tsubaki!" Black*Star leaps up and faces his foe, his soul wavelength sparking. "Grr! I'll get you for that, ya damn witch!" He leaps up, aiming for the stranger's head as he falls.

"And so it begins." I barely make out her murmur as the stranger shifts positions, Tsubaki's chain scythe form held ready in both hands. She holds her ground as Black*Star hurtles toward her, not moving a muscle. Then, "Ha!" Tsubaki's chain wraps itself around her meister, followed by a bright blue spark as the stranger hits them both with her soul wavelength.

"Aaah!" The two scream in pain and fall to the ground, unable to move as the stranger's soul wavelength continues to jump along both of them.

"That should keep you down for a while." The stranger dusts her hands off. She then turns to face Maka and Kid, an odd light in her eyes and a calm expression on her face.

"Black*Star!" Maka's faces contorts in anger as she glares at the stranger. "You'll pay for that! Ha!" The girl darts forward, swinging Soul at her target.

Soul's blade is caught in one hand. "Hmm. It's been a while since I've handled a scythe." I can see the smirk curl across her face.

"What the? What are you- Maka!" Soul's question is cut short when his meister is kicked away, her body slumping against the pillar she hits. Blue sparks race along the entire length of her body. "Maka, no!" The scythe attempts to shift back, trying to get to his injured meister.

"Ah, ah, ah." The stranger takes a firm hold on Soul, jolting him with her soul wavelength. "Your meister will be fine, she's just stunned, and as for you," She expertly twirls the weapon, settling him on her shoulder, her gaze fixed on Kid. "Unfortunately, I can work with any partner, and once you've been hit with my soul wavelength, shifting back is impossible."

"What?!" Soul's image briefly appears on his blade.

"So what are you saying?" Kid takes careful aim, keeping his eye on his target.

"I'm saying," The stranger motions toward Maka, Black*Star and Tsubaki. "That until I'm finished here, your friends are stuck the way they are," She levels Soul's blade in front of her, eyeing Kid. "Leaving them free to use as I please."

"You really are a witch." Kid narrows his eyes. "And my job as a reaper is to collect your soul."

"Then collect it," The stranger's stance doesn't change, her expression shifting to a more serious one. "If you can." She empasizes the if, blinking calmly.

Kid scowls, glaring at her. "Shut your mouth, witch!" He takes aim and begins firing in rapid sucession, whipping up a massive dust cloud as each shot hits its mark.

Soul's blade flashes from the debris, aimed right at Kid's neck. I can't make out any more through the dust as the brief flash of metal disappears.

As the cloud settles, two blurry figures emerge, one looming over the other. The stranger has Kid pinned to the ground with one foot planted on his chest, Soul's curved blade buried right next to his head and Liz and Patty tossed a short distance from their meister, blue sparks jumping along them.

The stranger's hood has finally fallen, revealing snow white hair pulled into a ponytail with black tinged bangs falling in front of her glasses.

"Your aim is good." She takes hold of Soul's hilt and pulls his blade from the earth, resting it on her shoulder so that it curls around her neck. "Too bad-"

"Elvira!" Lord Death appears behind me, cutting her sentence short.

The white haired woman freezes and turns around slowly, her eyes growing wide at the sight of Lord Death. "Father!" Soul clatters to the ground as she drops him and runs to the DWMA's entrance, wrapping her tiny arms around the reaper. Lord Death's massive hands envelop her as he hugs her back.

"'Father?'" Kid sits up as everyone else recovers from the effects of their opponent's soul wavelength. "Dad, what does she mean by 'Father?'"


	5. Chapter 4: Not a Witch

(Kid's POV)

"Dad?" I push myself up from the ground, glaring at Father. "Are you going to explain?"

"Yes." The reaper pulls away from Elvira, keeping a hand on her shoulders. "Kid, this is your older half sister, Lady Elvira Casiphia."

"'Older half sister?!'" I look from Elvira to Father. "Why was I not informed of this?! And you," I turn on Elvira, glaring at her. "You knew. From the minute we met, you knew. Why didn't you say anything?!"

"I'm afraid, Kid," Elvira shrugs Father's hand from her shoulders and steps forward. "That I had to swear Dad to secrecy, and as for why I didn't say anything, what was I supposed to do? Say hey, don't attack me, I'm your older sister?" She crosses her arms over her chest.

"It would have been better than saying nothing! And what do you mean 'had to swear Dad to secrecy?'" I ball my hands into fists, my glare unwavering.

Elvira shakes her head. "This is not something I can't disclose here and not yet to you. I don't want to involve any of the students if I can help it, least of all my younger brother and his friends. Titan, come along." She turns on her heel and heads into the DWMA, her equine trotting up behind her from his place by the stairs.

"Hold on, I'm not through with you!" I dart up the stairs after her, only to be stopped by Father. "Let me go!" I struggle against him, trying to get past. "I need more!"

"I'm sorry, Kiddo." He pushes me back from the door. "But she's done with you. We'll continue this later. Elvira and I have other matters to discuss. Stein, you're needed, as well. Let's go." Father turns and follows Elvira. Stein shrugs and turns his chair around, rolling after them.

"So, you've got a sister." Soul tucks his hands into his pockets, looking at me from the corner of his eye.

"Apparently." I glare in their direction.

Soul nods, shifting his gaze to the hall they disappeared down. "In that case, she's definitely not a witch."

(Elvira's POV)

"Well," A woman cloaked in white is waiting in the Death Room, her hands on her hips. A pair of wings sprouts from her back, making the woman appear bigger than she is. "Kept me waiting long enough, don't you think, Elvira?"

"Hello to you, too, Mother." I take hold of Titan's bridle and settle him down close to the stairs of the platform, then turn to face my mother. "How are things in Heaven?"

"Fine, and I can do without the sarcasm, thank you." She sniffs, tucking her massive white wings in behind her and turning a cold eye on Father. "Lord Death."

"Calendae." Father nods his head in greeting. "Nice to see you."

"I wish I could say the same." She looks my father up and down as though he were a bug she had discovered in her food then turns her attention to Stein as he rolls his chair over to us. "And just who is this?"

"This is Professor Franken Stein, the DWMA's top meister." Father introduces him to Mother and me. "Stein, this is Elvira, my daughter, and Calendae, her mother."

Stein smiles around his cigarette, settling his arms on the back of his chair. "Nice to meet you both."

I nod, smiling politely. "Likewise."

"Oh! Elvira!" Mother glares at me. "Don't humor him or your father! This man obviously isn't worth your time!"

"Whether he's worth my time or not is the least of my worries, Mother." I cross my arms over my chest, glaring right back at her. "We have other things to discuss. You are aware of why I've asked you to come here, right?"

"Yes," My mother sticks her nose in the air, her self important aura showing more than usual. "You needed help with something."

"Yes, and while I don't need both of you, I would like for you both to help. That would make things easier." I look at them both meaningfully.

"I'm more than willing to help, my dear, but I'm afraid your father," Mother glares at Father. "Is incapable of compromise."

"Now, wait just a minute!" The eyes in Father's mask narrow at my mother. "I'm the one who agrees to meetings like this because you won't allow us into your home! Your own daughter has never even had a room there!"

"So what are you saying? Are you saying it's my fault we're here?!" Mother places a hand on her chest, insulted.

"Maybe that's exactly what I'm saying!" Father retorts, turning the spat into a full on argument.

I sigh, closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose exasperatedly. "And this is why I don't ask my mother for help."

"It dissolves into an argument?" Stein reaches up to twist the screw through his skull, looking at me from the corner of his eye.

I nod, listening as the argument gets worse. "Every time, no matter what it is, they always start fighting."

"So, your mother is an angel?" Stein breaks the silence that had settled between us.

"Hmm?" I open one eye and look at him from the corner.

"Your mother." Stein points to her snow white wings. "She's an angel?"

"Oh, yeah," I turn my attention back to the argument. "But I can't say she acts like it."

"Yeah," Stein flicks his spent cigarette. "I can see why. She'd still make a nice test subject, though." He rests his chin in his hand. "Oh, how I'd love to sink a scalple into her and tear the wings from her back. I bet the feathers are very soft."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "O-kay, then, sounds like a personal problem I would love to encourage, but can't."

"Why would you encourage it?" Stein smirks at me. "That's your mother. Encouraging someone to rip her wings off is heartless, and this is coming from me."

"She might be related to me by blood," I cross my arms over my chest, glaring in the direction of my mother. "But she is in no way my mother."

"Aah." Stein turns back to the fight, looking at me from the corner of his eye. "I see."

"Oh, you insensitive bastard!" My mother draws herself up indignantly and balls her tiny hands into fists, glaring at my father. "Take it back!"

"Take what back? The fact that you're a stuck up, snobby shrew who thinks she's God's gift to Heaven and Earth?" Father crosses his arms over his chest. "I'm sorry, Calendae, I can't take back facts."

"Bastard!" Mother's hands begin sparking, a faint glow accompanying the sparks. "Take it back or suffer."

(Stein's POV)

"No, ma'am," Lord Death turns away from Calendae, his arms still crossed. "I most certainly will not."

"Fine, then have this," Calendae lifts one hand, sparks flying from her fingertips. "A little gift from me to you."

"Now, Calendae," Lord Death turns to face her, drawing himself up to his full height. "You know better than to try that on me."

"And you know better than to think this is all I have in store for you." Calendae smirks menacingly.

"Enough." Elvira steps between her feuding parents. "Mother, Dad was kind enough to allow you to visit me here." She crosses her arms over her chest. "While I won't say Dad isn't at fault, if you can't be civil, you will have to leave, and if you don't leave willingly," A pair of white speckled black wings, bigger than Calendae's, unfurls from her back and spreads out from her sides. "I will make you."

"Oh, you wouldn't force your dear mother to leave." Calendae's hand drops back to her side. "You said it yourself, you need me."

"Yes, I would." Elvira deadpans, glaring at her mother. "And no, I don't."

"Fine, then. You talk big." Calendae crosses her arms over her chest. "Why don't you put your money where your mouth is? Make me leave."

Elvira raises a hand and places it on her father's mirror. "Open, Heaven's Gate." Her soul wavelength shoots down the center of the glass and splits it into two shining white gates. They swing inward, revealing a transparent cobble stone path lined with shining white elaborately decorated metal railing. "Retrieve Calendae."

A soft glow begins to spread from inside the portal, engulfing us all in a blinding light. When it clears, a single white feather floats to the floor where Calendae once stood. The portal has closed.

I reach up to twist the screw through my skull, looking at Elvira over the rims of my glasses. "I think it's safe to say that you're definitely not a witch."


	6. Chapter 5: Secret of the Feathers

(Stein's POV)

"No, sir." Elvira crosses her arms over her chest and tucks her wings in. "And I'd very much appreciate it if you wouldn't call me that, cause I'm sick of the damn rumors."

"Easy." I settle my arm onto the back of my chair. "I never planned to call you that. I just heard Kid and Black*Star call you a witch and figured I'd make my own assumption before calling you one."

"Oh, well, then thank you, Stein." She smiles at me briefly before turning to Lord Death. "I'm sorry about Mother. It won't happen again."

"Oh, don't be sorry." He ruffles her hair with one massive hand. "It's your mother, what more should we expect? Besides, I didn't help much by losing my temper." Lord Death drops his hand back to his side. "Sorry about that, Ellie."

"It's okay, Dad." Elvira smooths her hair back down. "I know how she is, but we have more important things to discuss. Before we do, though," She jabs a thumb at me. "Why is he here? Besides the fact that he's the top meister."

"I'm here because Lord Death figured you would get along with me the best." I push my glasses back up on my nose. "So I need to be in on why you're here."

Elvira turns to look at me, then turns back to her father, eyebrow raised. "We will discuss that later. Until then," She moves across the platform and sets up the computer system. "We can move on to my problem. Three of my four teammates are missing." She begins to type, three sets of information rapidly popping up on three different screens. "Cordovan Drake, Raja Anderson, and Blythe Adkins, aka Braddock Deering."

"Aah, so that's it. It would help more if we had more information, Ellie." Lord Death looks at each profile in turn. "I only recognize Blythe, and that's because your mother insisted on an angel going with you."

"I was getting to that, Dad." Elvira turns to face us. "Cordovan and Raja are both reapers I recruited for specific reasons when you placed me over the London Division. Van served in the Royal Court as a personal guard to Her Majesty and Raj was a police officer with Scotland Yard. Both of them kept me up to date on affairs of the court and any criminal movements. Van was "injured," She makes air quotes with her fingers. "Protecting the Queen from a would-be assassin. He usually takes advantage of sick days and days off and visits the Society to give his reports, but never showed this time. Raj was given a case by his commanding officer and disappeared on his way to interview suspects. Blythe usually stayed in the Society, but being our healer, she also kept a close eye on Van and Raj. She was going to visit Raj, but he said she never showed."

"So this team," I shift to sit indian style in my chair. "What do you do?"

"My division serves the same purpose as meisters and their weapon partners. We collect souls." Elvira crosses her arms over her chest. "The only difference is the way the Society does it. They judge the soul before deciding if said soul is taken or put back into the human it inhabited. My team and I, however, deal with the souls too corrupt to be judged."

"So you've probably made enemies?" I pull another cigarette from my pocket and light it, sticking it in my mouth.

"All of us have." Elvira shrugs. "But the only two who would ever be recognizable to anyone would be Van and Raj. They're seen by the public. Blythe, Mac, and I know our enemies. They don't know us, so it doesn't make sense for someone to take Blythe unless they knew she was connected to both Van and Raj and I know for a fact that no one does."

"Mac." I reach up and twist my screw. "Who is he?"

"He is my right hand man and is in charge while I'm here." She reaches out with one hand and hits a key, bringing up another profile. "Macabee Baines is a meister hailing from Death City. He was Dad's requirement." She hits the same key, closing his profile.

"Ahh, so Macabee is still with you." Lord Death sounds just a bit smug. "How are he and his partner?"

"Mac has gone blind since the last time you saw him and his most recent partner decided that he'd had enough of Mac and left." Elvira shrugs. "Mac doesn't seem too bothered, though, and he really likes his new death scythe."

"The loss of his sight is unfortunate, but then he has his- wait, most recent partner?" Lord Death tilts his head, slightly confused. "I thought he and Algernon were getting along just fine! How many partners has he had?!"

"Counting Nonnie, four." Elvira shrugs again. "He has no problem matching soul wavelengths. It's just his personality makes it hard for partners to get along well with him, though in his defense, he was the one who ended the partnership with Algernon."

Lord Death lifts one massive hand to scratch his mask. "I don't understand. I thought he and Algernon were like brothers!"

"Yeah, well, Nonnie had a different agenda." Elvira turns back to the other three screens. "Now, back to the problem."

"Oh, yes," Lord Death nods. "The problem. Go on, Ellie."

"The problem, other than more than half of my team being missing, is that I don't have much longer to help Mac with the search." Elvira flexes her white speckled wings, not looking at us. "I won't have the strength."

"What do you mean?" I blow out a skull shaped puff of smoke.

"My wings are supposed to be solid black, not dusted with white." She stretches her wings out to their full length, looking at us over her shoulder. "My feathers only turn white when my wings are molting, and as my feathers drain of color and fall, my strength goes with them." It seems as though the spots of white grow as she speaks, pushing the feathers closer to their fall.

"Ah, yes, I remember that." Lord Death nods again. "It happens once a year, and that's the only time when you're completely still."

"So it happens in spring?" I settle my arms back on my chair.

"Yes," Elvira turns to face us. "And unfortunately, it means I cannot continure a search that has gone on for six weeks and somone has to take charge of the Grim Reaper Dispatch Society. Mac can't do both."

"So that's where I come in." Lord Death chirps. "Well, just tell me where I'm needed and I will help. You are my only daughter, after all."

Elvira smiles. "Thank you, Dad, and to show you where you're needed, we get to take a little field trip. Stein, you can come, too." She hits a key on the keyboard that closes the profiles then turns to the massive mirror in the Death Room. "I doubt you'll be able to follow, Dad, but I can take Stein with me and leave the mirror going." She lays her hand on the reflective surface. "Headquarters, please." Her soul wavelength once again splits the mirror into two doors, which swing open to reveal a long bridge built of stone leading to a massive building of the same material. "Well, home sweet home." Elvira goes to step through the mirror.

"Wait a minute." Lord Death tilts his head, his daughter pausing with one foot through the doors. "If you can travel the way I can, why did you not do that in the first place? Would it not have been easier than traveling here on Titan?"

"Nope," Elvira looks at her father over her shoulder. "Around this time, every mirror travel saps my strength further." She flexes her wings, which now sport massive white spots that cover half of every feather. "I decided to save my mirror travel for the field trip, but," She turns on her heel, stepping closer to her father. "I'm going to need you to keep it going. My feathers will fall by the time we get back if I try to do it."

Lord Death nods. "I understand, and since I can't follow you through, I'll do it from here."

Elvira nods and turns back to the doors. "Alright, then it's just you and me, Stein. Come along." She whisks through the doors, not even bothering to see if I'm following.

I look at Lord Death, eyebrow raised. "And I'm supposedly the only one she'll get along with?"

"You'll see." Lord Death waves me on. "She just has to adjust. It's been a while since she's been back, now go on before she comes back for you."

I shrug and turn my chair around. "Alright, but don't expect me to be nice just because she's your daughter." I roll through the doors after the white haired halfling, admiring her white splashed black wings while I imagine slicing them from her back.


	7. Chapter 6: Inside the GRDS

(Stein's POV)

"No, you can't have them." Elvira says, flicking a wing in my direction.

"Did I ever say I wanted them?" I challenge, rolling up on her left so that I'm even with her.

"You said as much when you said you'd love to rip my mother's wings off." She eyes me from the corner of her pale gold eyes, smiling a little. "I figured I'd tell you now before you actually tried to do something, and as for you being nice, how you treat me will dictate how I treat you."

I smirk back. "Fair enough."

"Good, so long as we're clear on that." Elvira speeds up, walking a step ahead of me. "William," She calls, striding confidently into the building. "William T. Spears, I require your presence." She stops just as a bespectacled black haired man walks around the corner.

"Yes, my lady?" He pushes his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, holding his clipboard and a pair pruning shears in one hand. "What is it you require of me?"

"If you see Mac, tell him I have returned with help from Lord Death." Elvira motions to me. "We'll be in my office if anyone needs me."

"Yes, Lady Elvira." William bows low, showing respect to Elvira before straightening up and pushing his glasses up on his nose again. "I'll be sure to pass the message along."

Elvira nods. "Thank you, Will. You are dismissed." Will nods in return, continuing on his way down the hall. Elvira turns to me. "Well, on to my Death Room."

"Lead the way." I push my own glasses up on my nose and roll after her.

(Macabee's POV)

"But, Macabee," Grell hovers around me, buzzing like a fly. "I don't want anymore time!"

"Too bad." I grunt, glaring at him. "Everyone has to pull their weight, and that includes you."

"But, Macabee, darling," Grell stops in front of Elvira's desk, trying to pull an appealing pose. "I'm too delicate for too much work. Couldn't you pull some strings with Lady Elvira or Lord Tyrian for me?"

"Nope." I settle back in Elvira's chair, crossing my arms over my chest. "Ellie and Ty were quite clear. Everyone works. No exceptions."

"I knew you were a good choice to enforce the rules, Baines." Elvira herself sweeps into her office, someone in a rolling office chair rolling in behind her. "Grell, either get back to work, or leave my office and don't come back." She crosses her arms over her chest, waiting for Grell's response.

"Oh, Lady Elvira, ehheheh!" Grell jumps nervously, inching his way to the door. "Of course I'll get to work, and right away, my lady!" Once he's close enough, the red haired reaper darts out the door, hurrying off to find Will to get his schedule.

"Well, there's that taken care of." Elvira turns to face me, her eagerness written all over her soul. "How are things, Mac?"

"Other than Grell making a pest of himself, things have been pretty calm." I push myself up from Elvira's chair. "Unfortunately, there's been nothing new about the others. I'm sorry, my lady." I bow my head low, grief welling up in my soul.

Elvira nods, her own grief briefly swamping all other emotion before she shifts her focus. "That is unfortunate, but fortunately, I bring help from my father." She waves to the one who followed her in. "Macabee Baines, meet Stein. Stein, this is Mac."

Stein nods at me. "Pleasure."

I nod back. "Likewise, but why is he here? Shouldn't Lord Death be the one helping, and not this guy?"

"Um, excuse me, Mac," Lord Death's voice booms around the office. "But I couldn't be there in person for you to see me. I've sent Stein in my place. He's the best meister currently at the academy."

"Aah, I see." I nod to Lord Death, though I cannot pinpoint where he is. "How have you been, Lord Death?"

"Things here are fine, Macabee, but it sounds like you could use some help." His voice reverberates from nowhere. "So, what am I to do?"

"Dad, we need you to help keep an eye on things here." Ellie turns around, adressing her father. "Mac will take care of work schedules and all the souls that require his attention. You'll just have to keep an eye on the flow of souls."

"Alright, that sounds doable." Lord Death chirps. "Is that all?"

"Actually, Dad, there are-" Elvira is cutoff midsentence by a commontion outside.

"Oh, Sebastian! I knew you were nearby!" Grell yells. "I could feel it!"

"Yes, that's quite nice, Grell." A bored sounding voice answers. "I heard Lady Elvira has returned. Could you tell me where she might be?"

"Anything for you, Bassy!" I can hear the red haired reaper turn back to the office. "Right this wa-ay~!" He sings.

"Well, that worked out nicely." Elvira pokes her head out the door. "In here, Sebastian, Ciel. You have perfect timing."


End file.
